GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Comcast has announced it is expanding
eligibility for “Internet Essentials,” a program that provides Internet access
to the households of disadvantaged students, according to The Grand Rapids
Press. The program had been available only to households with children who
qualified for “free” school lunches, but will now be an option for families
with children who receive reduced-price lunches as well.

According to The Press, Comcast launched the program as a
way to ensure that economically disadvantaged students had access to digital
tools that would help them perform better academically. Families enrolled in
the program pay just $9.95 for Internet access and have the option to buy a
computer for $149.99, The Press reported.

While state and local data is currently unavailable, The
Press reports that more than 41,000 households across the country have been
enrolled in Internet Essentials so far. There are approximately 3.5 million
households nationally that could qualify for the program.